Statue, Surveillance, and Suppression: Varanasi Journalists Face FIRs Over Viral Video

June 28, 2025 – India – 

Varanasi’s Lanka police station registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against six journalists connected to various media outlets, accusing them of distorting and circulating a video that depicted the routine cleaning of the statue of Bharat Ratna Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya near the Banaras Hindu University gate. Authorities claim the video was manipulated with caste-based commentary to incite communal tensions and disturb public order.

The journalists—Arshad Alam (admin of the WhatsApp group “Khabar Banaras”), Abhishek Jha (NBT Online), Abhishek Tripathi (Hindustan), Sonu Singh (Dainik Jagran), Shailesh Chaurasia (TV journalist), and Nitin Kumar Rai (X user)—face charges under multiple statutes: Sections 356(3) and 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly Indian Penal Code) covering defamatory content and promoting enmity, and Section 67 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act.

Defending their actions, the accused maintain they merely discussed the video in a private WhatsApp group—and did not post anything publicly. Shailesh Chaurasia described the group as a forum of over 600 members, including journalists and police, where the clip was shared without commentary to incite violence. Police, however, assert they received reports that the clip was shared on multiple social media platforms like Instagram and X with inflammatory remarks. The PWD has also confirmed that the cleaning work was officially sanctioned and not suspicious.

The move has sparked a fierce political reaction. The Congress party slammed the FIRs as an attack on press freedom, with UP Congress chief Ajay Rai denouncing the criminalization of journalists who questioned a public servant’s treatment—a “cowardly” reaction by the government, he said. The BJP’s response emphasized that journalists must exercise responsible reporting and avoid spreading rumours or misinformation.

The episode highlights ongoing concerns over press freedom in Uttar Pradesh, where journalists increasingly face FIRs and legal threats. Varanasi, as the prime minister’s constituency, has seen heightened scrutiny of the media covering sensitive religious and caste issues. Civil society observers warn that using legal tools like FIRs to police journalism risks deepening self-censorship and eroding democratic dialogue.

Reference – 

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/six-journalists-booked-by-varanasi-police-charged-with-spreading-misinformation-101751028840589.html

https://www.ptinews.com/story/national/FIR-against-6-Varanasi-journos-for–rumour-mongering-;-attack-on-press-freedom–Cong=/2680252

https://www.newslaundry.com/2025/06/28/six-varanasi-journalists-booked-over-video-of-statue-cleaning